“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?”
– Isaiah 58:6-7
This season of Lent is a time of fasting, prayer and reflection in preparation for the feast of Easter. The words of the prophet Isaiah remind us that our fasting should connect deeply to meaningful changes in the way we live our daily lives and the way we see our world.
As we journey through these 40 days of Lent, we invite you to join our ELCA Advocacy staff each week for reflections on important issues and discussions on ways in which we can act together to affect positive and long-lasting changes in our communities.
Today, on Ash Wednesday, we pray that God grants us renewed and honest hearts so that we may fully repent our sins and receive forgiveness through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. This day, we begin to think about the beauty and brokenness we see in our world, and we consider how our daily lives affect this beauty and brokenness.
Reflecting on hunger and poverty in our world
As you begin your fasting and reflection this week, consider those in the world for whom going hungry is not a spiritual practice. We encourage you to raise awareness around issues surrounding hunger and poverty by utilizing multiple important ELCA World Hunger resources:
- “Into the Wild: a Lenten Liturgy and Intergenerational Study on Hunger” –This program includes liturgies, scripture readings, and activities for young people and adults to learn more about hunger and faith.
- “40 Days of Wonderings: A Family Discussion Guide for Lent” – This calendar includes a variety of activities that parents and children can use to talk about hunger, faith, and hope during the Lenten season.
- Visit ELCA World Hunger to find additional resources for Lent and Easter seasons.
Be the first to recieve our Advocacy Reflections this Lenten season by signing up for our ELCA Advocacy Alerts!
